The Mango Lover

[Guest guest]

 *The Mango Lover*

 

Once there was a man who liked to eat mangoes. One day he decided to get

the sweetest mango—the one from the very top of the tree. (Mangoes that are

exposed to the sun are the sweetest.) So the man climbed to the top. The

branches thinned as he climbed, but he managed to pick a few red fruit.

 

When he began to climb down, however, the man slipped and fell.

Fortunately, he was able to catch a branch as he was falling, but he

remained helplessly suspended from the tree.

 

He called to the nearby villagers for help. Although the villagers brought

their ladders, their ladders were too short. They could do little to help

him.

 

After some time, a calm and thoughtful person arrived—a well-known sage

who lived in a simple hut nearby. People were curious to see what he would

do, as he was famous for solving even the most complicated problems.

 

The sage remained silent for a moment, and then, to everyone's surprise, he

picked up a stone and threw it at the hanging man. The mango lover began to

shout: " Are you crazy?! Do you want me to break my neck? " But the sage did

not respond. Instead, he took another stone and threw it at the man. The man

became furious: " If I could get down there, I would whip you! "

 

That's what everybody wanted—for him to come down. But how? Everyone grew

tense about what would happen next. Some villagers wanted to chastize the

sage, but they didn't.

 

Then the sage picked up another stone and hurled it even more forcefully

at the man. After that, the man hanging in the tree became enraged and

determined to come down and take revenge. He used all his skill and strength

to somehow reach safe branches and climb down. Everyone was amazed.

 

Upon safely reaching the ground the man exclaimed, " Where is that sage?

Oh, what a wise man he is! He didn't wait around for me to beat him! "

 

" But wait a minute, " a villager said. " The sage is the only one who could

help you. He provoked you and pushed you to help yourself. "

 

The mango lover thought for a moment and admitted that, yes, all the

villagers' good intentions and compassion could not help him, but the sage

had expertly induced him to make his best effort and to save himself. " I

should be thankful, not angry. "

 

This is an instructive story about leadership. Although sometimes strong

in his or her dealings, a real leader makes us take the initiative to give

our best.

 

*We have to give our best if we want extraordinary results. The best

leader makes others into leaders themselves by pushing them to take

responsibility for their lives.*

 

**